Tied Knots and a Baby
by GothGirlXenon
Summary: Former contestants Gwen and Trent are now parents to a daughter. How will the couple face relationships, parenthood, college, and competition at the same time? Will a bundle of joy cause a bundle of drama?
1. Tying the Knot

**_Total Drama Series (TDS)_** **is a property of Fresh TV Inc, Jennifer Pertsch and Tom McGillis. Be noted that I don't own the show or the characters; I'm just the writer of this fanfic.**

 **This story takes place after my other fic** ** _"The Goth and the Guitarist: Maternal Matters"_** **.**

* * *

 **Prologue:**

The thought of being pregnant may have been an uneasy situation for Gwen; however things changed and she eventually gave birth to a baby girl she and Trent named "Erika".

Gwen and Trent were now a soon-to-be-married couple.

 ** _**sets to Gwen's perspective**_**

 **Gwen's POV:**

I had to stay at the hospital for 2 days after giving birth.

Trent and I were later discharged and we brought our daughter home.

We are new parents to a little girl, but we still weren't married.

 ** _**switches to Trent's perspective**_**

 **Trent's POV:**

Gwen and I are devoted to being parents, but there's a step missing between our relationship.

The two of us have been eager to marry each other, but it still hasn't happened.

We'd better tie the knot if we're going to look forward into this parenting experience.

 ** _**end perspectives**_**

 **—**

 **—**

 **—**

 **—** **Setting: Gwen and Trent's apartment; at 1:10 PM—**

Gwen had finally moved in with Trent within the past 2 days after her daughter was born.

She was now planning to get married to him that evening.

"I'm a little nervous about our wedding this evening." Gwen said to Trent.

"It's okay. I'm sure things will go according to plan if we follow the routine." Trent assumed.

"It is likely. I just hope the wedding planner that our parents hired handles our marriage efficiently." Gwen thought.

—

 **—** **Scene by the beach; at 5:40 PM—**

The wedding started around sunset.

Both Gwen and Trent's family members and friends attended.

"I don't exactly like dressing in a silver wedding dress in front of a lot of people and I don't think Trent likes his tight tuxedo either, but I know it's only for this occasion." Gwen thought to herself as she walked down the carpet.

Trent was waiting shortly for Gwen to join him.

Gwen walked up to him and the marriage officiant spoke.

The marriage officiant asked Trent if he was willing to take Gwen as his wife and for Gwen to take Trent as her husband.

"I do." Trent said.

"I do too." Gwen agreed.

"The bride and groom may now kiss." the marriage officiant declared.

Gwen and Trent kissed. They were now officially married.

—

Moments after Gwen kissed Trent, she tossed her bouquet to the crowd.

It so happened that Bridgette caught the bouquet.

"I guess I'll be the next one to get married." Bridgette thought.

—

"The knot has been tied." Trent said to Gwen.

"Our love is destined to never die." Gwen replied


	2. Parenting Experience

Gwen and Trent were in for a new experience after marriage.

The two of them would face the uneasy responsibilities of parenthood and other situations.

—

 **—** **Setting: the couple's apartment; at 1:50 AM; the night after their wedding—**

Both Trent and Gwen would normally be sleeping during this hour, but they were kept awake by their infant daughter's bawling.

"Our wedding night may not have been as smooth as we thought it would; due to the fact that we became parents before we got married." Gwen said to Trent.

"It so happened to be for this night; yet I'm sure every new parent has to go through this." Trent replied to her.

"Although our baby Erika is currently keeping us awake, she's bound to fall asleep eventually."

"I know, I read about this in the parenting handbook too. Moreover, it looks like this isn't going to be the only night she'll be keeping us up." Gwen told her husband.

"It may occur again throughout the consecutive nights and we'll need a solution."

"I'll have to agree with you and I think we should discuss this next morning." Trent considered.

—

 **—** **8:00 AM—**

The following morning wasn't easy for Gwen or Trent; due to the lack of sleep they got.

"Our morning seems just as rough as last night, but things might turn out better this afternoon." Gwen said to Trent drowsily.

"It's best if we continue with childcare research for now, despite being sleep deprived." she considered.

"I'm with you. It's an important part of parenting after all." Trent agreed with her.

—

 **—** **1:15 PM—**

Gwen was breastfeeding Erika while looking up parenting tips on her smartphone at the same time.

"I don't know if this multitasking method is 'convenient' or not; however it's better than letting her be hungry when I'm in the middle of research." Gwen thought to herself.

Trent walked into the room where Gwen was nursing the baby.

"I see Erika has settled down, she must have been hungry." Trent said to Gwen.

"I think she was." Gwen told him.

"How's the multitasking coming along?" Trent asked.

"It's not too bad, even though it can be hard work." Gwen replied.

"The hard work does pay off and it's likely that things will be easier once we get the hang of it." Trent said to his wife.

"It seems so; I can agree." Gwen thought.

—

 **—** **3:30 PM—**

Bridgette stopped by Gwen and Trent's apartment later that afternoon for a visit.

"Hi Gwen, how are you and Trent doing?" Bridgette asked Gwen.

"I think we're still getting adjusted to this new lifestyle, but we are fine with it." Gwen replied to Bridgette.

"I hope caring for the baby isn't too overwhelming." Bridgette commented.

"Taking care of Erika can be a handful, but Trent and I have things under control." Gwen said to her.

"The two of you do look pretty busy." Bridgette remarked.

—

 **—** **5:30 PM—**

Two hours went by and Bridgette left.

"I wonder what will happen if I become a mom as well." Bridgette thought to herself.


	3. Two Types of Bundles

Family life seemed alright for Gwen and Trent; even though it was hard for both of them.

Managing childcare and college life would be a new challenge.

—

—

—

Seventeen days went by and the next semester of college started.

Most of the former _Total Drama_ contestants attended.

—

 ** _**sets to Gwen's perspective**_**

 **Gwen's POV:**

It's not easy being a student, former contestant, and parent concurrently.

Trent and I are currently 24, but we're still aiming for our degree in college.

In this case we will need more than just a few adjustments to life.

 ** _**switches to Trent's perspective**_**

 **Trent's POV:**

It appears that being a family isn't the only difficulty for us.

So far Gwen and I have been dealing with class, relationships, and other tasks.

I wonder how we'll live through this.

 ** _**end perspectives**_**

 **—**

 **—**

 **—**

 **—** **Scene at the college; 2 days later; around 3:00 PM—**

"I've completed most of my assignments today and I think I should take a short break and meet with Trent later." Gwen thought to herself.

"It's a good thing that we have different class schedules so he and I can take turns looking after Erika."

—

Gwen met with Bridgette and Zoey at the college lounge.

It hadn't been a long time since Gwen saw them, but she had not been in contact with Leshawna for a while.

"I wonder if Leshawna is attending the same college this semester. Have you seen her lately?" Gwen asked Bridgette and Zoey.

"I don't think I have." Bridgette replied.

"I'm not sure if she's attending, yet I think I may have seen her in one of the hallways this week." Zoey commented.

"It would be nice to see her again." Bridgette and Gwen both thought.

—

 **—** **3:20 PM—**

Twenty minutes after Gwen and her friends met up, they stopped by the cafeteria for a snack.

It so happened that they ran into Leshawna by the mess hall.

"I haven't seen my two best girls for a few years and it's nice to finally see you again." Leshawna said to Gwen and Bridgette.

"We missed you too." Bridgette told Leshawna.

"Did anything special go on between you two and your loved ones when I was gone?" Leshawna asked Gwen and Bridgette.

"Well, yes. Trent and I had a child together and we recently got married." Gwen replied to her old friend.

"Wow! Congrats girl. I hope you and Trent are happy living together." Leshawna said to Gwen.

"I believe we are." Gwen told her.

"There isn't anything new going on between me and Geoff right now, but we might get married later this year." Bridgette said to Leshawna.

"That's okay girl, take your time. I'm just glad both you and Gwen are enjoying life." Leshawna replied to Bridgette.

—

Leshawna then spoke with Zoey for a short time before leaving.

Bridgette eventually left for her apartment when she finished talking to Gwen and Zoey.

—

 **—** **Scene at Trent and Gwen's apartment; at 4:10 PM—**

Gwen invited Zoey over to her and Trent's apartment after class that day.

"I noticed you and Trent remodeled your apartment since the last time I came over to visit." Zoey said as she observed the main room.

"It took us a few days to reconstruct and babyproof." Gwen told Zoey.

"The living room does look more organized and safer." Zoey thought.

"We've also set up a monitoring system in the baby's room." Trent informed.

"Speaking of 'babyproofing', can I see your daughter?" Zoey asked Gwen.

"You can, but you need to be quiet around her." Gwen replied.

"I will." Zoey agreed.

—

Trent and Gwen showed Zoey the room where the baby was in.

Zoey had a look at Gwen's baby.

"What was her name again?" Zoey asked.

"Her name is 'Erika'." Gwen reminded Zoey.

"That's a nice name." Zoey complimented.

"I see she has green eyes just like Trent."

"That would be one way she takes after her father." Gwen said.

"How old is she?" Zoey asked again.

"Erika is currently a little over 3 weeks old." Trent replied to Zoey.

"Aww, she looks really cute at this age." Zoey said to them.

"Mike and I have also thought about getting married and having children soon; we just don't know when."

—

 **—** **5:00 PM—**

Zoey left Gwen and Trent's apartment 50 minutes later.

"Gwen seems happy being with Trent and my future with Mike might be like theirs. " Zoey thought to herself after leaving.


	4. Repairing Scars and the Guy Behind Bars

**_**sets to Gwen's perspective**_**

 **Gwen's POV:**

Raising a family and attending college can be hard work, yet it beats competing on a reality show.

Good thing I wasn't competing last season either.

My friends and family are way more valuable to me than money.

I wonder what will happen if we have to resume celebrity lifestyle.

 ** _**switches to Trent's perspective**_**

 **Trent's POV:**

I noticed most of us are focused on what's more important in life rather than competition, prizes, and fame.

It seems like competition is one of the main causes for pulling relationships and friendships apart.

Contests are no longer a concern for now and it's not going to get in the way.

I hope other obstacles don't appear.

 ** _**end perspectives**_**

 **—**

 **—**

 **—**

 **—Scene at the Mall; Saturday; around 3:10 PM; 19 days later—**

Gwen was spending time at the mall café with her husband Trent, daughter Erika, and two of her friends Bridgette and Zoey discussing about status updates.

"Celebrity life appears to have made a comeback for most of us recently; despite the fact that we are attending college." Gwen said to her friends.

"It looks like we'll be facing the ups and downsides to it again." Bridgette regarded.

"Some contestants on standby are getting stalked by paparazzi occasionally; however on the bright side we have exclusive benefits."

"Glad I wasn't caught on camera." Gwen thought.

"With the paparazzi going around, have any of our acquaintances been on camera lately?" Trent asked Gwen's friends.

"I did see Courtney getting a short interview at the studio downtown two days ago regarding law school and reality TV." Zoey said.

"She said she's gotten into a complicated situation and I'm curious about what's going on. I think we should visit her backstage later today."

"Although I'm not too close with Courtney, I'll still come with you guys to see her." Gwen told Zoey.

—

Trent received a text on his phone from Geoff to remind him something.

"You girls can visit Courtney later this afternoon if you want. I just remembered I needed to meet with Geoff at his apartment around 4:00 PM today; and I'll be taking Erika along with me." Trent told Gwen and her friends.

"Alright. Just be sure you and our daughter make it back home before 8:00 PM." Gwen said to him.

—

 **—Scene at the studio; at 4:20 PM—**

Both Gwen and Bridgette had remembered meeting Courtney during the past months before college started.

Specifically in Gwen's case, she recalled a past feud that may or may not have been settled.

"I wasn't sure how Courtney would approach me, but things have changed over the years and it's likely that she will view me differently." Gwen thought to herself while waiting at the lobby.

"The last time she saw me, I was pregnant with my daughter."

—

Courtney walked out of the dressing room a few minutes after Gwen and her companions got to her door.

"Hi Gwen, it has been a while since we last saw each other." Courtney said to Gwen.

"I guess it has." Gwen replied.

"Is there a reason why you all came to see me today?" Courtney asked Gwen and the others.

"Well, some of us heard about what you said in your interview and we thought you could tell us what's bothering you." Zoey said to Courtney.

"It's really hard for me to say. Because I'm no longer getting much privacy, I might as well tell you guys." Courtney replied anxiously.

"It started with law school curriculum, then I unfortunately had to drop out of class due to forced arrangements on my contract from the media."

"I'm now caught in this dilemma where I have to perform and be judged by critics when I don't want to."

"If I had stayed in law school for another year or two, I could have sued the executives for these amends."

"That's horrible and unjust." Gwen said.

An old memory struck Courtney's mind for a moment and she got slightly bewildered from Gwen's reaction.

"I forgot to ask you, but since when did you start caring about me again?" Courtney asked Gwen.

"If I'm not certain, it may have something to do with the feud that used to be between us." Gwen told her.

"Was it about the time when you temporarily stole my boyfriend then changed your mind and felt sorry for me, or something else?" Courtney asked Gwen again.

"I think it had something to do with Duncan messing with our hearts a few years ago and how we treated each other wrong by accident." Gwen replied to her.

"There have been times I tried to apologize but I didn't know if I could trust you, or if you would be willing to accept my apology and become more compassionate."

Courtney felt more bewildered from hearing Gwen's words.

"Okay… I'm starting to understand your sincerity." Courtney said with profound emotions.

"We might as well resolve this."

—

Gwen wanted to tell Courtney more about her current life.

"I'm glad you were willing to accept my apology and settle things." Gwen said to Courtney.

"We haven't been in contact over time because of our feud."

"To keep you up to date, I'm married to Trent now and we have a child."

"I did notice you were pregnant a little over 5 months ago; you even told me." Courtney said to her.

"I remember telling you." Gwen confirmed.

"Both of us got Duncan out of the picture for years but I have a feeling you still like him. Do you miss him?" Gwen asked Courtney.

"Absolutely not!… or do I?" Courtney responded.

Courtney's cheeks turned red for a short time.

"Okay… maybe I do." Courtney confessed.

"I might want to visit Duncan outside his jail cell sometime."

"That would be a nice thing to do." Bridgette said to Courtney.

"I'll need to give him a phone call before the visit." Courtney considered.

—

 **—Scene at Geoff's Apartment; at 4:28 PM—**

Trent along with his and Gwen's baby were at Geoff's apartment while Gwen and her friends were visiting Courtney.

"I heard from Bridgette that Courtney was facing hardships from critics and other people." Geoff said to Trent.

"Was Duncan involved?" Trent asked.

"That, I'm not certain about." Geoff told him.

"All I know is that Courtney had to drop out of law school because of a contract."

A sudden thought came into Trent's head.

"This could happen to us too; and it will be even harder for me and Gwen due to the fact she and I are parents." Trent regarded.

"How do you think things will work out if we had to deal with a similar situation?" Trent asked again.

"You would have to make plans by preparing ahead and avoid negative results I suppose." Geoff considered.

"And by the way, your daughter Erika is very cute." Geoff said while cuddling Trent's infant daughter.

"I appreciate that." Trent thanked him.

—

 **—Cut to scene at the city prison; at 12:00 AM—**

Duncan was drawing skulls and crossbones on the walls of his prison cell with chalk that midnight.

"Courtney told me she was going to help bail me out after she officially becomes a lawyer." Duncan thought to himself.

"Years have gone by and I wonder what's holding her up."

"I don't know if she's going to break her promise or something, but my patience may not last and there's a chance I'll have to create my own 'get out of jail card'."

A guard walked by Duncan's jail cell and unknowingly dropped some keys.

"Hello freedom." Duncan said to himself with pleasure.

"Thanks to some careless prison guard, I'm finally out of here."


	5. Reunion with the Delinquent

Duncan had broken out of prison that night out of dumb luck.

He vaguely remembered not meeting with the others for about a year and a half and wondered what he missed out on while he was in jail.

—

 **—** **Scene at the studio; at 11:50 AM; next morning—**

Gwen, Bridgette, and Zoey visited Courtney again the following day.

They had noticed Courtney seemed a little concerned about Duncan for some reason.

"I tried giving Duncan a phone call several times this morning but there was no answer from the prison phone booth." Courtney told Gwen and the other girls.

"Did you try contacting the officers or guards?" Gwen asked Courtney.

"I haven't yet, and I want to make sure Duncan wasn't brutally attacked or in a life-threatening situation." Courtney replied to her.

"There could be multiple reasons for his absence, so it's best to not jump to the worst-case scenario." Bridgette told Courtney.

"Guess you're right; nevertheless there still needs to be an explanation for this." Courtney inferred.

"You might as well visit Duncan at his cell face to face if you continue to be out of reach with indirect contact." Zoey suggested.

"I may have to check on him as soon as possible and I won't mind having Gwen accompany me." Courtney proposed.

—

 **—** **Cut to scene at Trent and Gwen's apartment; 12:10 PM—**

Trent was looking after Erika back at the apartment while Gwen was out with Courtney.

"I know you're too young to understand right now, yet I wanted to tell you something." Trent said to his infant daughter.

"It appears that your mommy has been trying to settle things with an old acquaintance from reality television yesterday and today."

"She told me how she and Courtney had finally forgiven each other after years of feuding and misunderstandings; and I'm happy for her."

"I'm just hoping things won't turn out for the worst if Duncan discovers what's going on between me and your mother."

Erika scrunched one of her eyes for a short second.

"I have a feeling you want mommy to come back soon and I should probably give her a call to see how she's doing." Trent thought as he saw his daughter's facial expression.

He then dialed Gwen's mobile number and waited for a response.

—

 **—** **Scene at Gwen's location; around 12:15 PM—**

Gwen was visiting the city prison with Courtney when she received Trent's phone call.

"Uh Trent, I think we've got some bad news." Gwen said to her husband through her smartphone.

"What happened? Are you and Courtney alright?" Trent asked Gwen with curiosity.

"Courtney and I are fine, but when we came to visit Duncan at the city prison and asked the guards about his confinement status, they said he was missing." Gwen told Trent.

"This better not be a serious jailbreak of some sort." Trent said crossing his fingers.

"Duncan is the only missing prisoner and some of the security camera lenses have been spray painted solid black. That must mean he escaped last night." Gwen replied with more specific detail.

"That's a slight relief; as long as Duncan isn't out to cause trouble for us again." Trent regarded.

"None of us can be sure about what Duncan is up to; despite him being notorious for his delinquencies." Gwen informed.

"Both of us should stay alert of his pursuit just in case." Trent suggested.

"I've been noted already and I will meet with you later at Courtney's studio." Gwen replied as she ended the phone call.

—

 **—** **12:20 PM—**

Courtney wanted Gwen to help her investigate Duncan's escape.

"I wonder where Duncan even got the spray paint in spite of being locked up." Courtney pondered.

"He could have had the paint secretly sent to him somehow for setting up an escape scheme." Gwen speculated.

"That does make logical sense." Courtney thought.

"By any chance do you think Duncan broke out of his cell because he was impatient rather than to cause more delinquencies?" Courtney asked Gwen.

"It's a likely possibility; still we can't be certain of what's on his mind." Gwen concluded.

"As always." Courtney concurred.

The two girls left the city prison after examining the evidence.

—

 **—** **Scene back at the studio; at 2:00 PM—**

Several of the former contestants met at Courtney's studio later that afternoon on the occasion of Duncan's jailbreak incident; yet only Gwen, Trent, and Cody got a chance to see Courtney backstage during this hour.

"I don't know if Duncan's escape should be a concern for us or not, but he would have to give an explicit reason for breaking out of jail if he were to meet us again." Courtney told Gwen and her acquaintances.

"If there is something to be concerned of, I'm worried about how Duncan would react to my marital status." Gwen regarded while holding her and Trent's infant daughter.

Upon hearing Gwen's quote, Trent turned towards Cody and remembered the way he helped him get closer to Gwen.

Cody then stared back at Trent and Gwen and thought of something.

"Duncan would have to learn to accept the fact that you're married to Trent; like the way I learned to respect your relationships." Cody told Gwen.

"Acceptance and respect could be a way for him to improve his social life around me and Trent; though we still have doubts on Duncan's character." Gwen thought.

"I understood Cody's point; even with doubts there's a chance that Duncan will take a turn for the better if we talk straight without force." Trent reckoned.

Courtney gazed at Gwen and the two boys and continued to discuss the other issue.

"There were no recent crimes or confrontations relating to Duncan since his breakout." Courtney stated.

"What if Duncan isn't out to cause chaos but just wants to be free from custody?" she questioned.

"That's probably the case." Gwen inferred.

"I would like to ask him a few things if we were to encounter each other again sooner." Courtney considered.

—

 **—** **Scene at the mall; at 6:20 PM—**

Gwen invited Courtney to the mall with her and her daughter that evening.

"For the past few years, I partially blamed Duncan for our feud." Gwen told Courtney.

"Neither of us have truly found out who was most likely responsible for causing the conflict." Courtney asserted.

"The chance is that all 3 or 4 of us were involved." Gwen noted.

"I guess so." Courtney agreed with Gwen.

"Do you think we should forgive Duncan?" Gwen asked her.

"Only if he agrees to not mess with our hearts and emotions again." Courtney replied.

Both girls smirked at their idea.

Courtney stopped to stare at Gwen's daughter for a few seconds.

"Your baby 'Erika' is adorable." Courtney complimented Gwen.

"Thanks." Gwen replied.

—

As Gwen and Courtney continued to talk to one another, Duncan suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of them.

"Duncan, what are you doing here?!" Courtney asked her ex.

"It has been some time and I wanted to say hi." Duncan replied.

"You were supposed to be in jail. Why did you break out?" Gwen questioned him.

"Well, I was tired of being locked up and I thought I should get myself some parole." Duncan told them.

"You're an escapee. The cops will be after you if they find you." Gwen reminded Duncan.

Duncan saw that Gwen had a baby in the baby carrier strapped to her chest when he had another look at her.

"Please tell me you're babysitting." Duncan said to Gwen when he saw her baby in the carrier.

"I'm afraid not. This baby girl is my daughter." Gwen told Duncan sincerely.

"Who's the father of your baby?" Duncan asked Gwen with suspicion.

"Isn't it obvious?" Gwen cynically replied to Duncan.

Duncan then noticed Gwen's baby had green eyes.

"Gwen must have 'done it' with Trent. They had sex and now they have a kid." Duncan thought to himself feeling a bit disheartened.

"I advise you to not be rude towards Gwen, or I'll call the cops on you!" Courtney warned.

All 3 of them paused for a short moment.

A thought came into Gwen's mind by remembering what Cody said.

"Listen Duncan, you need to respect the truth that I love Trent and understand how I feel." Gwen clearly stated.

"So you moved on when I was in prison right? And Courtney has forgotten about me." Duncan assumed.

"Nope, that's not what exactly happened." Gwen corrected him.

"What really happened was that Trent and I got back together almost 4 and the half years ago during your absence."

Duncan was staggered from Gwen's quote.

He then turned to Courtney.

"Courtney, you promised to help bail me out of confinement and you never did." Duncan said to Courtney feeling dissappointed.

"I've been trying to help you, but I was forced to drop out of law school and my time is limited." Courtney confessed to Duncan.

"For real?" Duncan asked.

"Yes, for real." Courtney told him with honesty.

Considering of what Courtney said, Duncan thought of a feasible idea.

"I know you are still a lawyer in training, but you could at least help me by hiring an authorized lawyer to give me parole." Duncan suggested.

Courtney felt a deep emotion coming from the inside and made a decision.

"Let me see what I can do." Courtney told Duncan.

"I may be able to help as well." Gwen considered.


	6. Debates on the Delinquent

Gwen and Courtney's unexpected encounter with Duncan that evening wasn't exactly pleasant.

They still had doubts on Duncan; yet they were willing to hear the news from him.

—

 **—** **Scene at the mall; at 6:40 PM—**

Duncan continued talking to Gwen and Courtney about his situation that evening at a desolate part of the city mall.

"I'm glad both of you considered to help me. I am on the loose right now and I can't let other people know about my reason until I'm officially on parole." Duncan told Gwen and Courtney.

"I think Courtney and I understand your idea, but there has to be an explanation for entering a shopping mall as a last ditch plan. The mall isn't an ideal place to hide." Gwen said to Duncan.

"You're right about my 'hiding spot', yet I can't always give explanations for everything I do." Duncan replied.

"The police are still going to be on your tail, so we better find another place for you on behalf of the situation." Courtney told him.

"Try to think of something as fast as possible." Duncan said in desperation.

—

Gwen and her daughter along with Courtney and Duncan quickly exited the mall. Courtney and Gwen made sure that Duncan was kept unnoticed from others.

—

 **—** **Scene at Courtney's rental home; at 7:00 PM—**

The only idea Gwen and Courtney could think of for helping Duncan was to bring him to the house where Courtney was residing in and letting him stay temporarily.

"I guess Duncan will have to stay at my house while I try to call one of my lawyers." Courtney considered.

"In this particular case and time he would presumably have to." Gwen told Courtney.

—

Duncan had an unusual emotional urge to say something to Courtney and Gwen for assisting him.

"I normally wouldn't say something too nice; but I would like to thank you girls for understanding my situation and aiding me." Duncan said to Courtney and Gwen.

"Uh, you're welcome. Gwen and I are doing all we can." Courtney replied feeling a bit appreciated.

"Let's just hope we won't get arrested for hiding an escaped criminal." Gwen conjectured.

"Once I get a hold of my lawyers, neither of us will be caught or accused." Courtney assured.

—

 **—** **7:10 PM—**

Courtney wanted to have another look at Gwen's daughter for a few minutes.

"I like how Erika resembles you, and she's got Trent's green eyes." Courtney regarded while staring at Gwen's baby girl.

"Most former contestants depicted Erika by her physical traits. I'm not sure about her personality yet." Gwen replied to Courtney.

"She's a baby so I don't think we can judge her at this age."

"You're right." Courtney concurred.

—

A text message appeared on Courtney's phone during Gwen's conversation with Courtney.

"That might be one of your lawyers contacting you. You should check to see who it is." Gwen suggested.

"I'll take a look." Courtney said as she picked up her phone.

Courtney then read the message and responded.

"It was one of the lawyers who I'm most familiar with. He said he'll be available tomorrow afternoon to help." Courtney replied.

"Thank goodness I haven't been turned down by this lawyer." Duncan thought as he heard from her.

"Hopefully your lawyer can handle Duncan's situation." Gwen said to Courtney.

—

 **—** **7:15 PM—**

Gwen noticed Duncan was still feeling somewhat insecure after Courtney managed to get a hold of her lawyer.

"Courtney's lawyer currently has your case covered. You won't need to hide anymore if your judicial review is approved." Gwen told Duncan.

"I know, it's just that I might get sent back to jail if my case is denied." Duncan said anxiously.

"The attorney I hired is a professional, so try not to worry too much and think of something to say when you're in the courthouse tomorrow." Courtney confidently told Duncan.

"Might as well. I will have to be as clear as possible or I'm dead meat again." Duncan replied.

—

 **—** **7:20 PM—**

Gwen and her daughter were about the leave Courtney's rental house when Duncan suddenly walked up to her.

"I was about to go back to my condo home. Did you have something more to say? If you do, it better be something respectful." Gwen asked Duncan.

"Well okay, yes. I was wondering if you could attend my court hearing tomorrow afternoon." Duncan replied to her.

"Maybe. That would depend on certain conditions." Gwen answered.

"Alright, thanks for your response. Let Courtney know about your confirmation if you can." Duncan said to Gwen before she headed out.

—

 **—** **7:25 PM—**

"I wonder why Duncan is acting so nice all of the sudden." Gwen thought to herself as she and her daughter left Courtney's rental home.

"I should probably tell Trent about this."

She then drove back to her apartment with her daughter.

—

 **—** **Scene at Gwen and Trent's apartment; at 7:50 PM—**

Trent had been waiting for Gwen to return during the past half hour and he noticed she and his child came back a little late.

"It's kinda late, but you and Erika made it back home safe. Was something holding you up?" Trent asked Gwen.

"To be honest there was." Gwen replied to her husband.

"It so happened that Courtney and I had an unexpected encounter with Duncan at the mall and I later stopped by Courtney's house to talk to both of them."

"Duncan?! What was he doing with the two of you? I hope he wasn't out to cause trouble again." Trent asked his wife again.

"Duncan said he wasn't intending to cause delinquencies. This time he said he was tired of being locked up and wanted to be released." Gwen answered specifically.

"I think he should have just called a lawyer instead of breaking out of prison; instead he specifically wanted help from Courtney's lawyer."

"This means he still likely cares about Courtney after all these years and not just to be bailed out." Trent considered.

"Duncan also asked me a favor because he's going to be in a judicial hearing tomorrow regarding his parole." Gwen told Trent.

"What did he ask for?" Trent questioned.

"It wasn't anything unlawful. He only wanted me and Courtney to attend the hearing." Gwen replied.

A strange feeling then struck Trent in the head.

"Since when did Duncan turn soft? This rather not turn out too good to be true." Trent pondered.

"I don't know what has gotten into Duncan lately either, but there's a chance he could have changed though." Gwen said to him.

"You may be right. I'd still be aware around him if I were you." Trent told her.

"Good call." Gwen thought.


	7. Aftermaths of Mixed Feelings

—

 **—** **Scene at Trent and Gwen's apartment at 1:45 PM; the next day—**

Gwen had decided to attend Duncan's court hearing with Courtney the following day and she was preparing to leave for the assembly.

"It's been over four years and I'm still not sure if Duncan really has changed." Gwen thought.

"I may have to stay alert until he's proven himself."

Trent wanted to speak to Gwen before she left.

"Neither of us are confident with Duncan, but I think we should discreetly open up to him little by little again after these years." Trent said to Gwen.

"You're probably right about his case." Gwen agreed.

"If Duncan does get released from prison, he would likely want to meet with the rest of the former contestants."

"He better show respect towards us and our friends." Trent anticipated.

"I hope so too." Gwen replied him.

She then kissed Trent on the lips and left the apartment.

—

 **—** **Scene at the city courthouse at 2:15 PM—**

"We've received each other's text messages this morning and were able to meet up on time." Gwen informed Courtney; regarding Duncan's trial.

"Glad you could make it." Courtney replied.

"Duncan's trial session will take place when he gets brought to the jury."

Courtney's lawyer led Duncan into the courtroom to speak with the judge.

"May I have your case in regards to your escape and parole request?" the judge asked Duncan.

"Well, okay… I'll explain as much as I can." Duncan replied with slight nervousness.

"I've been arrested for bullying, trespassing, shoplifting, vandalism, and the destruction of a private resort over the past years; but I plea to be released from prison because I've been locked up for a little over 2 years since my last arrest and I want prove myself."

"Duncan confessed the truth about his escape and he told me that he was discontented of being confined and living in grueling conditions." Courtney's lawyer spoke to the judge.

"It's true; my main reason for breaking out of jail wasn't to cause more delinquencies. I just couldn't stand living in that horrible place any longer!" Duncan told the judge desperately.

Courtney and Gwen stepped into the conversation with the judge at that moment.

"Duncan I and spoke with each other while he was behind bars several months ago and I remember him asking me to help bail him out of the big house. However he didn't get the chance to explain why because the guards took him back to his cell before he could tell me." Courtney said to the judge.

"I hear your witness. Any further detail in regards to Duncan's parole request?" the judge asked again.

"Yes; I asked Duncan a few questions yesterday after hearing Courtney's whereabouts regarding him. Duncan said he just wants another chance and he misses people he used to know." Gwen informed to the judge.

"Although I'm still unsure about Duncan, I think he should get the opportunity for parole this time. He's been in prison for more than 2 years overall."

The judge deeply evaluated Duncan's appeal and attorney then came to conclusions.

"I've reviewed your case and I have made the decision to let you have parole." the judge told Duncan and the others.

"You mean I'm going to be released from jail for real?" Duncan questioned with astonishment.

"Assured; case closed." the judge replied to him.

"Thank you." Duncan thanked the judge with satisfaction.

—

 **—** **3:10 PM—**

Gwen dialed Trent's mobile number after the assembly and Trent picked up the phone.

"Hi, Trent. I wanted to let you know that Duncan's trial went well and he will be back in town." Gwen said to Trent though the phone call.

"Are you saying that Duncan was officially released from prison?" Trent asked her.

"Yes. Courtney's lawyer spoke with the judge at the courthouse and the judge decided to let Duncan have parole." Gwen told her husband.

"I'm actually glad Duncan got a second chance; however he still needs to prove that he changed for the better." Trent replied.

"Let's wait for Duncan to show himself when he meets with us and the other former contestants again." Gwen considered.

"I will be coming home soon to meet with you and Erika. See ya in a few minutes." Gwen noted Trent before hanging up her phone.

—

 **—** **Scene at Trent and Gwen's apartment; around 3:30 PM—**

Gwen made it back to her residence later in the afternoon and spoke with Trent.

"I hope things were alright with you and our daughter when I was out for a few hours." Gwen said to Trent.

"The living status is as good as usual; though there are some updates." Trent replied to her.

"Can you let me know what I missed out on while I was at the assembly?" Gwen asked her husband.

"I can." Trent answered to her.

"Geoff invited us and several other former contestants over to Total Drama's Aftermath Show this evening for Duncan's return and backstage party."

A deep thought came into Gwen's mind from hearing her husband's words.

"We might as well welcome Duncan back and attend the backstage party just to be nice and see what happens." Gwen considered.

"Plan confirmed." Trent agreed.

—

 **—** **Scene at Total Drama's Aftermath Show Auditorium; at 6:30 PM—**

Three hours went by and Gwen and Trent arrived at the auditorium with their daughter backstage.

"This is the first time we brought our baby girl over here and I don't know how the audience will react from seeing her." Gwen said to Trent curiously.

"I'm aware that most former contestants excluding us currently do not have children and neither you or I want to create a distraction during the aftermath show. Against the odds we can't hide from reality." Trent inferred.

"That is something understandable; and it's most likely better for Erika to bond with us rather than leaving her home with a babysitter." Gwen admitted.

"The show will be starting soon. Let's go meet the others now."

—

 **—** **6:40 PM—**

The aftermath show started moments after the attending former contestants were prepared for the event.

Bridgette walked onto the stage to give a quick introduction about the presentation.

"Hello everyone. We have a humble announcement to make on Total Drama's Aftermath Show this evening." Bridgette said to the audience.

"I would like to welcome those who could make it here for the instance following up on our latest updates."

"Duncan has been released from prison and we will be interviewing him on behalf of his return."

"Please don't get too excited, so sit back and relax."

—

Trent, Gwen, and some other non-hosting contestants were supporting Bridgette from the front seats and peanut gallery.

Geoff came onto the stage as the co-host.

—

It was Duncan's turn to get onto the stage; however he was retaining some hesitation around others and minor feelings of resentment.

"I'm a parolee, yet I'm still seen as 'monster'." Duncan thought to himself backstage.

"I haven't damaged my 'bad-boy' reputation. On the other hand, I sounded like an idiot when I got myself locked up."

—

"I gave Duncan his cue to go on stage, but he hasn't left the backstage lounge." Bridgette told Geoff.

"Let's signal him again and give him a minute or so." Geoff suggested.

—

Duncan walked up to the front of the stage in slight discontentment when he was called in the second time. A beam of light tailed him from behind undesirably.

"I said I would talk, but I don't want to be the center of the spotlight figuratively or literally!" Duncan screamed in disgust.

"Oh, sorry." Bridgette apologized.

"How does it feel to be officially released from jail?" Bridgette asked Duncan.

"It pretty much feels the same way before I got imprisoned. From another side, people seem to perceive me differently than they did in the past." Duncan answered.

"Do people think you've changed in a good way or a bad way?" Bridgette asked again.

"That, I'm not certain about." Duncan answered to her again.

"What I do know is that Courtney and Gwen were willing to help me get out of a hell of a mess."

"You should at least thank them for their help." Bridgette recommended.

Even though Duncan didn't want to sound too nice in front of a crowd, he chose to thank Courtney and Gwen who were in the front row seats.

"Don't think of me as a big softy, but thank you. I couldn't have gotten out of the big house without the two of you." Duncan said to Courtney and Gwen with appreciation.

"Um, you're welcome." Courtney replied to him feeling less doubtful.

"I would say the same thing as Courtney." Gwen said to Duncan.

—

 **—** **7:00 PM—**

Duncan's interview continued and it was the audience's turn to ask him questions.

"Any words for Duncan from the front seats or peanut gallery?" Geoff asked the former contestants in the audience.

"Yes, I wanted to ask why Duncan is so overrated among us; despite having criminal records and for treating us poorly." Cody spoke out.

"I don't know if I can answer that; maybe it's my 'bad-boy' charm or something." Duncan replied.

"Lucky you, you seem to get all the ladies." Cody reacted to Duncan's speculation.

—

"Does anyone else have things to say at the aftermath show?" Geoff asked the contestants again.

"I think I hear a baby making noise." Mike said.

"Uh, that's off topic, but there is a simple explanation." Bridgette told Mike.

Trent knew he had to say something when he heard Mike's quote.

"I'm sorry; that was my daughter making noise. Gwen and I brought her here and we didn't intend to cause a diversion." Trent told them.

"That must be Erika. Zoey told me about her." Mike said to Trent.

"You can see her later and talk to me if you want. We should probably focus on the rest of the show for now." Trent suggested.

"Yep, I guess you're right." Mike replied.

—

 **—** **7:15 PM—**

Trent spoke with Gwen again when the aftermath show ended.

"I find it surprising that the audience didn't pay as much attention to our daughter compared to the show. They were mostly focused on Duncan's interview and his conversation with us and the other Total Drama contestants." Trent said to his wife.

"Our baby would be considered 'eye candy'. In spite of this, I assume the others did not want to stir up negative activity." Gwen figured.

"Good thing this baby isn't a bundle of drama." Trent thought.

—

 **—** **7:30 PM—**

A dinner party was held at one of the backstage lounges for the contestants after the presentation.

Gwen was sitting at one of the tables with Trent and her daughter.

"Things went smooth today. I wonder if Duncan has more to say to us." Gwen pondered.

"I was hoping he would apologize for messing with our feelings and relationships in the past." Trent remarked.

Zoey came over to Gwen's table to join her and Trent.

"From what I know about Duncan, it's hard to understand him. Duncan always seems to have the craziest ideas and he can be unpredictable." Zoey reckoned.

"If I could just read his mind…"

"Let's be neutral with Duncan for the time being. I'd forgive him only if he apologizes truthfully." Gwen stated.

—

 **—** **Scene at Trent and Gwen's apartment; at 8:20 PM—**

The party had ended later that evening and Gwen and Trent returned home with their daughter.

"We're both feeling very tired after that busy day. I believe we should take it easy then go to bed around 11:15 PM." Gwen suggested.

"Smart idea." Trent agreed with her.

"We'll need to recharge for upcoming events."


	8. Decisive Life

College, parenthood, celebrity life, and occasional seasons of competition may have been challenging for Trent and Gwen in different ways; yet manageable with wise decisions at most times.

Again, they would be in for more experiences.

 ** _**sets to Gwen's perspective**_**

 **Gwen's POV:**

I've gained a lot of knowledge from being a mom, wife, student, celebrity, and contestant concurrently over time and it has been around 9 years since Trent and I first met.

From what I know, there's still more to life ahead and I'm aiming for my career in astrophysics and art.

Being in business with the media is somewhat agreeable, but I still consider my family and career more important.

 ** _**switches to Trent's perspective**_**

 **Trent's POV:**

Life has never been truly easy for any of the Total Drama contestants and we've had to face various difficulties ever since we first started competing on reality TV.

Things have improved after Gwen and I got back together and learned more during the past years; under other conditions, certain situations can affect us both.

We're 25 years old now and our daughter is around 2 months of age so we'll need careers to support each other as a family.

 ** _**end perspectives**_**

 **—**

 **—**

 **—**

 **—** **Scene at the aftermath show auditorium 2 days later; at 2:30 PM—**

Another reunion party was planned and held by the former contestants 2 days after Duncan was released from prison. Gwen, Trent, and their daughter attended the gathering that afternoon.

"Although we are often busy as a family, it's good to meet with the other contestants for certain occasions." Trent regarded.

"Instances like these can be meaningful at times." Gwen conjectured.

"I wonder how Zoey and Bridgette are doing." she thought.

"I think I'll chat with them while you meet with the other boys."

"Alright. Just make sure Erika doesn't draw too much attention from the others." Trent said to Gwen.

—

 **—** **2:35 PM—**

Gwen and her daughter met with Bridgette and Zoey at one of the tables.

"Hi Gwen, nice to see you again." Bridgette greeted Gwen.

"It's nice seeing you again too." Gwen replied.

"We've got some updates from the last 2 days." Zoey said to her.

"What are the latest updates?" Gwen asked them.

"For my whereabouts, Geoff and I are getting married 3 days from now." Bridgette told Gwen.

"That sounds exciting." Gwen said to Bridgette.

Zoey noticed Gwen was staring at her abdomen.

"Uh Gwen, my news is obvious and I suppose you found out already." Zoey said to Gwen.

"From the looks of it, you appear to be pregnant." Gwen said to her.

"Yep. Although my stomach isn't that big, my doctor says I'm around 6 months pregnant." Zoey told her.

"I can probably guess why it took so long to find out." Gwen inferred.

"It was surprising that I didn't show any symptoms until the end of my second trimester." Zoey replied.

"Mike and I are also going to get married soon."

"That's cool. Maybe your baby could get a chance to interact with my daughter after it is born." Gwen said to Zoey.

"As well, I would like to attended both weddings if I am available." Gwen told Bridgette and Zoey.

"That would be kind of you." Bridgette said to Gwen.

—

Trent was talking to Geoff, Mike, and Cody at a different table.

"How do you and Bridgette enjoy hosting the aftermath show without Blaineley's interference?" Trent asked Geoff.

"It's pretty fun, but it can sometimes be hard work." Geoff replied to him.

"Bridgette and I have never felt closer than before and we may have literally gotten a 'little' too close together."

"I assume you two didn't play it safe during 'fun time'." Trent speculated.

"You could say so. She and I decided to take the risk a couple of months ago, yet I'm sure Bridgette didn't get knocked up." Geoff said to Trent and the other boys.

"I don't think you could be one hundred percent sure without specified evidence. You might get into the same situation that Gwen and I had to deal with." Trent presumed.

"Makes sense." Geoff agreed.

Mike wanted to tell the other male contestants about his current status with Zoey.

"I wasn't careful when Zoey and I got close, and I knocked her up. The surprising fact is that she and I didn't find out until last week." Mike told them.

"Luckily, she and I aren't experiencing many difficulties through this unexpected event."

"That's some good news." Trent thought.

A slight jealous feeling struck Cody in the head from hearing about the other male contestants' relationships.

"Aw, I feel like I'm the only guy at this table who hasn't found love yet!" Cody said enviously.

"I'm still being stalked by Sierra and I don't know if I like it or not!"

Trent, Geoff, and Mike noticed Cody's complaints and tried to comfort him.

"We feel your pain Cody. There's someone out there for everyone." Geoff sympathized with Cody.

"Don't give up. I know you will find a special someone eventually with more experience." Trent encouraged Cody.

"You're right. I've got to use my head rather than just putting my patience into it." Cody concluded.

—

 **—** **2:42 PM—**

Courtney showed up at the party 7 minutes after the first few contestants made it to the auditorium.

"I'm a little late because I had to meet with another lawyer-in-training before coming here." Courtney told the other contestants.

"The law school student I met with said she got an invite from Noah and she'll be coming over here too."

"By any chance are you talking about Emma?" Bridgette asked.

"Yes, I am." Courtney answered.

"I remember Emma but I haven't been in contact with her." Gwen said to the others.

"Was there anything special that happened to her after Ridonculous Race?" she asked.

"There has. Emma and Noah got married about a year ago and they also have child." Courtney replied.

"That's interesting." Gwen thought.

"Maybe your daughter Erika could interact with Emma's child." Bridgette suggested to Gwen.

"A playdate might be a good idea. My daughter needs social time with other babies." Gwen remarked.

—

 **—** **2:45 PM—**

The conversations at the tables paused for a moment and Emma arrived at the gathering.

"Hi, it's my first visit at the aftermath show auditorium and I came here to discuss a few things regarding our current status and showbiz." Emma said to the contestants.

"You must be Emma. Noah told us about you." Zoey said to her.

"Yep." Emma replied.

"It's nice meeting you in person for the first time Emma." Trent said to Emma.

"There has been a lot going around since the few of us last saw you." Gwen informed her.

"Trent and I became a family several months ago and we've adjusted to a new lifestyle; though he and I along with some other contestants faced difficulties."

"That's somewhat sweet to hear." Emma thought.

Emma noticed Gwen had brought her daughter with her.

"I see that your daughter has been born. You were pregnant with her the last time I spoke with you." Emma replied to Gwen.

"She has; I named her 'Erika' and she's a little over 2 months old now." Gwen told Emma.

"She's very cute. I like her green eyes and dark brown hair." Emma complimented.

"That reminds me; my daughter just turned 6 months old and Noah has been wanting her to interact with other babies around her age." Emma told Gwen.

"Courtney told me about your child, but I didn't get her name yet." Gwen noted.

"My daughter's name is 'Kylie'." Emma said to Gwen.

"I was planning to bring her here myself this afternoon, however I was busy at law school earlier so I had Noah look after her at the house where he's doing both homework and child care."

"I've been in similar situations occasionally. Maybe our daughters could see each other later today." Gwen considered.

"That seems like a good idea and I'll keep it in mind." Emma acknowledged.

—

 **—** **2:50 PM—**

Duncan arrived at the party unexpectedly and several of the other former contestants were stunned by his presence.

"Hi everyone. I decided to drop by for a little fun. Please don't think of me as an uninvited guest; apparently I got an invite from Courtney." Duncan said to the other contestants.

Gwen and a few other contestants stared at Courtney with curiosity.

"I may have invited you but I also want to make sure you're not purposely trying to cause inconvenience for the rest of us again." Courtney reminded Duncan.

"I know, I get your point and further trouble will get me thrown back into the big house." Duncan replied sarcastically to Courtney.

"Good, now please have positive interactions with others." Courtney told him.

—

Trent and Gwen remained aware of Duncan even though he had been released from prison two days prior.

They spoke to one another in a private spot.

"It's best if we stay neutral with Duncan at this gathering and avoid unnecessary actions." Trent told Gwen.

"I'll take your word. Even things that are slightly unwise could trigger negative outcomes." Gwen agreed with him.

"Let's just speak with our friends until Duncan shows that he's straightened matters among us." Gwen suggested.

—

 **—** **2:55 PM—**

Gwen, Trent, and several of their friends and acquaintances continued talking to Emma.

"I find it interesting that you and Courtney are working together. I'm not exactly close with Courtney and she didn't tell us how you and her became business partners in training." Gwen said to Emma.

"How did you and Courtney meet?" Trent asked Emma.

"Courtney and I know each other from the same law school. We met around 7 months ago." Emma informed them.

"At this moment I'm trying to give Courtney the support she needs in order to re-enroll in the law institute that she was forced to drop out of."

"I hope Courtney will finally get her degree sometime after she re-enrolls." Gwen contemplated.

—

 **—** **4:40 PM—**

The gathering continued that afternoon and then came to a close.

"I noticed most contestants were focusing on relationships at the meetup today and not many of us wanted to discuss about how competition and celebrity life is affecting our lives." Gwen said to Trent as she and him left the aftermath show while carrying their daughter.

"There is an importance of relationships but I agree with you that there are further concerns for our current positions. In our case we'll have to take the right actions if we were to attain our degrees and start careers without interference." Trent told his wife.

"Emma appeared to be concerned with career paths and the two of us have planned to visit her this evening; so maybe we can speak with her regarding this topic." Gwen reminded her husband.

"Alright, let's go home for now and then visit Emma at her house around 7:00 PM." Trent noted.


	9. A visit to Emma's

**—** **Scene at Gwen and Trent's apartment; at 6:30 PM—**

Gwen and her husband Trent were preparing to head over to Emma's house that evening with their daughter.

"We both haven't heard from Noah for a while, yet Emma recently told us that she and him became a family some time ago before we did." Gwen said to Trent.

"He appears to be busy with different things at times. I wonder how Noah is doing and what he's been up to lately; he'll probably let us know after we meet with him and Emma." Trent pondered.

—

They then exited the apartment building and drove over to Emma and Noah's house.

—

 **—** **Scene at Emma's house; at 7:00 PM—**

Trent and Gwen spoke with Emma when they and their daughter met with her at her home.

"It was nice of you to invite us to your house." Trent said to Emma.

"Noah doesn't mind having guests over when he and I aren't busy with work and I already told him that you guys would be visiting this evening. He said he'll be coming downstairs to see you a moment from now." Emma informed him and Gwen.

"He didn't greet us when we came into your house earlier. By any chance is he still busy with something?" Gwen asked Emma.

"Oh, about that; Noah is tending to our daughter Kylie upstairs and he said he's going to introduce her to your daughter as the two of us planned." Emma replied to her.

"Glad he agreed on letting our babies socialize with each other." Gwen thought.

—

Noah then came downstairs with his and Emma's baby.

"I haven't met with you or Trent during the past year and it's nice seeing you two again. Emma gave me the news about you and Trent becoming a family not too long ago." Noah said to Gwen.

"Trent and I have been parents for almost 3 months so far and we've acquired some decent parenting skills." Gwen told Noah.

"How are things between you and Emma lately and has Kylie gotten along with other children around her age?" Trent asked Noah.

"Emma recently got a scholarship in law school and she's become more occupied. In this case I work as a university student and stay-at-home dad." Noah replied.

"We haven't given Kylie much social time, but she seems to interact well with calm children."

"Let's see how our daughter interacts with Gwen's daughter." Emma suggested to Noah.

"Erika is calm at most times; I'm sure she and Kylie will get along." Gwen thought.

—

Gwen and Emma gently put their babies next to one another.

Erika blinked when Kylie crawled up to her.

"I think Erika is curious of Kylie." Gwen said to Emma.

"Seems so. It's their first time meeting each other to be exact." Emma remarked.

Kylie babbled a bit and Erika blinked again.

"It looks like our babies are socializing okay." Emma presumed.

"At this age, we'll need to keep an eye on them to make sure they don't accidentally get hurt while playing together." Gwen inferred.

"Proper supervision is important to help our children grow; and both parents and children gain knowledge through family time." Emma advised further.

—

 **—** **7:30 PM—**

The two couples and their children ate dinner together and then continued to interact a little longer.

—

 **—** **8:20 PM—**

It was getting later in the evening and Gwen and her husband decided to go home for the night.

"We had a good time tonight and I think Trent and I should be heading home with our daughter now." Gwen told Emma.

"I enjoyed your visit and Noah and I hope to see you again sometime." Emma replied to her with consideration.

"Gwen and I will stay in touch with you and Noah. We'll probably meet another time at the aftermath show auditorium." Trent said.

"If I'm not busy, I'll bring Kylie over." Noah notified them.

"Alright, see ya." Gwen and Trent both said.

"Take care." Emma said as Trent and Gwen departed from her house.

—

 **—** **8:25 PM—**

Gwen, Trent, and their daughter left Emma and Noah's house and headed back to their apartment.

—

 **—** **Scene at Trent and Gwen's apartment; at 9:00 PM—**

"Running errands and meeting with others can be quite tiring." Trent said to Gwen.

"Having multiple occupations isn't easy for either of us and I have a feeling that we're not the only ones after hearing from Emma and Noah." Gwen gave more detail.

"No doubts about that." Trent agreed with her.

"On the bright side, Erika may have gotten herself a new playmate." he regarded.

"Erika and Kylie might become friends when they get older, but that's a few years from where we currently are." Gwen reminded Trent.

"True; and there's still more to do while time is flying by." Trent inferred.

"We'd better focus on sustaining the family and not letting exterior conflicts stand in our way; or we'll end up in a similar situation as Courtney." Gwen told him.


	10. Luck takes a turn

Two months flew by since Trent and Gwen heard the news from the other contestants.

 ** _**sets to Trent's perspective**_**

 **Trent's POV:**

I'm glad that most of our friends have been doing well over the last two months.

Gwen and I are still maintaining a healthy relationship as a family; yet we've had a few trust issues with Duncan since he was released from prison.

Although there were some difficulties among us and several other former contestants, there wasn't too much pressure.

I believe certain things between us and Duncan can be straightened out if we take the right actions.

 ** _**switches to Gwen's perspective**_**

 **Gwen's POV:**

Trent and I have had decent times and a few undesirable instances with the former contestants while dealing with family life.

We've attended both Bridgette and Geoff's and Mike and Zoey's weddings along with Zoey's baby shower.

So far we haven't been forced to compete in game shows or perform on stage, and that's good news.

We'd be in a bad situation if we were to compete and care for our child at the same time.

 ** _**end perspectives**_**

 **—**

 **—**

 **—**

 **—** **Scene at Gwen and Trent's apartment; at 2:30 PM—**

Gwen and her husband were discussing about past events that could have affected them.

"Judging by some unpredictable things that happened to the other contestants weeks ago, there's a chance the two of us and our daughter will be experiencing inconsistent matters as well." Gwen said to Trent.

"It was said that former contestants; even the ones who aren't currently involved in media don't always get to live like normal citizens." Trent notified.

"Yep. From what I know, we're situated in the tier where most of our life is under our control." Gwen responded to her husband.

"Glad that we are; on the other hand not all of us may have been so lucky." Trent inferred.

"Remember what happened during the last aftermath show?" he asked.

"Yes, and that performance was not exactly a pretty sight. Duncan was forced to confess more of his secrets, and Mike had accidentally split into alternate personalties again from trauma." Gwen replied as the subject came to her attention.

—

 **—** **Flashback scene of the aftermath show—**

 ** _***flashback from 1 week ago***_**

 **Duncan's flashback scene:**

A reporter was interviewing Duncan in the midst of his closeup at the aftermath show.

"So Duncan, how has it been since you were released from jail?" the reporter asked Duncan.

"Well, I am relieved that I'm not in confinement or a hostile environment; but I can't stand the unwanted attention I'm receiving." Duncan replied to the reporter.

"How long did you consider yourself to be an official parolee?" the reporter asked again.

"Duh, isn't it obvious? I had a lawyer bail me out. I am on parole." Duncan said with slight discontentment.

"We know, and I don't mean it by literal terms. I'm asking why you thought you deserved to be on parole." the reporter clarified.

"Uh, it was necessary for me to explain on my trial; yet right now it's not the best place to talk about this. That would be too much information for me to give out." Duncan told the reporter.

A few of Duncan's fans in the peanut gallery were staring at him and they wanted him to confess about his past prison life.

"Alright, this may be embarrassing; it's just that I'm forced to go by your demands under specified conditions." Duncan agonizingly said to his fans.

Duncan then mentioned some of his unpleasant moments to the peanut gallery.

"There must be something behind my parole paperwork and it better not be a hidden contract!" Duncan said to himself angrily.

 **—**

 **—**

 **Mike's flashback scene:**

Mike was seen sitting in the peanut gallery with other male contestants during Duncan's interview.

"Duncan seems to be in a disagreeable place and I kinda feel bad for him." Mike said to Cody and Trent who were sitting next to him.

"Is there a reason why you suddenly sympathized with Duncan?" Cody asked Mike.

"Oh, about that… a strange object hit me on the head unexpectedly the other day and the concussion caused my multiple personalities to return and the media to ask me a bunch of random questions." Mike told them.

"We're now facing a similar situation."

"That sounds terrible." Trent commented.

"I hope this doesn't affect your relationship with Zoey."

"It's not too bad. I just need to stay alert of triggers." Mike told him.

"I remembered seeing 'Mal' take over your body when I was watching past performances from Total Drama All Stars." Cody said to Mike.

"Mal may be a 'monster', however he's not the dominant persona and I won't let him take charge if he were to make a comeback." Mike replied with determination.

 **—**

 **—**

 **Flashback scene with both Duncan and Mike:**

Duncan heard Mike mention something about Multiple Personality Disorder from the peanut gallery.

"Oh no, please don't tell me…" Duncan responded frantically upon hearing part of Mike's conversation.

"What?" Mike asked him with confusion.

"That better not be you Mal!" Duncan assumed anxiously.

"Me?! No, it's me 'Mike'." Mike told Duncan sincerely.

"It better be one of your good personas talking. I won't be falling for Mal's cunning acts." Duncan told Mike with suspicion.

"Be careful with your words Duncan. It might trigger…" Mike said as his sentence suddenly got cut off.

Mike gasped and one of his alternate personalities appeared.

"Aw! I can't take this anymore!" Mike who was now Chester screamed.

"You whippersnappers have just gotten yourselves a bad vibe!"

"Mike, are you alright?" Cody asked 'Chester'.

"I think this is Chester talking. We should help Mike regain control of himself." Trent told Cody.

"Is there a way?" Cody asked Trent.

"Let me try showing him a picture of Zoey on my smartphone." Trent said.

Trent took out his phone and displayed a photo of Mike and Zoey together.

'Chester' gasped and Mike got a hold of himself.

"I'm sorry, I guess Chester lost his patience." Mike told the boys.

"We'll be sure to help you out the next time if we are available." Trent said to Mike.

"Thanks." Mike replied to him with appreciation.

Cody and Trent then stared at Duncan for his reaction.

"Okay, I'll try to avoid making false alarms." Duncan apologized as he took notice.

 ** _***end flashback***_**

—

 **—** **2:50 PM—**

"The unfortunate moments between contestants supposedly happened at random and it slightly impacted us." Gwen said as she recalled the scenes from the past week.

"At least it didn't cause a lot of trouble." Trent acknowledged.

"Maybe for this point; but if bad luck strikes us, it might negatively affect our daughter's future.


End file.
